


Second Time Around

by jooliewrites



Series: Season 2 Coliver Codas [5]
Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Coda, Domestic Fluff, Episode Related, Episode: s02e05 Meet Bonnie, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5060482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jooliewrites/pseuds/jooliewrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Did you bribe a witness?” Oliver asks, looking down at the legal pad with the list he’s written out.</p><p>“This is stupid,” Connor sighs out. He scoots over to curl up next to Oliver on the couch but Oliver inches away, eyes still down on the list.</p><p>“Perjury?” Oliver asks while striking ‘bribery’ from the list. </p><p>“I’m not-”</p><p>“Falsifying evidence?” The pen scrapes against the paper crossing out ‘perjury.’</p><p>“Oliver-” </p><p>Connor moves closer still and Oliver shifts away to avoid him. “Arson?” </p><p>“Okay. That’s enough.”</p><p>+</p><p>A Coliver 2x05 Coda</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Time Around

“Did you bribe a witness?” Oliver asks, looking down at the legal pad with the list he’s written out.

“This is stupid,” Connor sighs out. He scoots over to curl up next to Oliver on the couch but Oliver inches away, eyes still down on the list.

“Perjury?” Oliver asks while striking ‘bribery’ from the list.

“I’m not-”

“Falsifying evidence?” The pen scrapes against the paper crossing out ‘perjury.’

“Oliver-”

Connor moves closer still and Oliver shifts away to avoid him. “Arson?”

“Okay. That’s enough.” Connor tugs the list out of Oliver’s hands and flips through the pages. Man, did Oliver write down a lot of reasons people go to jail. Spotting one near the bottom, Connor looks up with one eyebrow cocked. “‘Skipping out on jury duty,’ really?”

Oliver just shrugs. “I don’t know.”

Connor tosses the pad on the coffee table and Oliver finally moves over. He sits sideways on the couch, one leg bent up with the other still down on the floor, and Connor scoots in, resting back against Oliver’s leg. He tugs Oliver’s other leg across his lap and takes Oliver’s hand.

Connor twines their fingers together and presses a light thumb to the pulse in Oliver’s wrist. For a moment, everything in 303 is still as Connor memorizes how the beat of Oliver’s heart feels under the delicate skin of his wrist.

Oliver rests his forehead against Connor’s shoulder and tries to keep the worry out of his voice. “Is it drugs?” he whispers. Afraid it is and afraid it isn’t. “Something to do with your addiction or-?”

Connor starts to shake his head but stops short. “I can’t, Ollie.” He leans his head back against Oliver’s knee. “I can’t.”

“But if you told me, I could help,” Oliver rationalizes. “I…I could look into it or-” He gestures to the laptop over on his desk.

Connor blots upright at that. “You can’t.”

“But, Con-”

Connor turns so they’re facing each other and squeezes Oliver’s hands in his. “You can’t, Oliver.” He’s shaking his head now, frantic with it. “You can’t ever again, okay? Not for me. Not for Michaela. Annalise. None of them. You can’t. No more.”

“But I-”

“No!” Connor cups Oliver’s cheeks and is surprised that Oliver’s trembling. Or is Connor the one who can’t stop shaking? “Never again, okay? Promise. You have to promise. Promise me you won’t-”

“Hey. Hey. Hey.” Oliver puts his hands over Connor’s and scoots closer, wrapping his legs around Connor. “It’s okay. It’s-”

“No, it’s not!” Connor’s voice comes out so loud and desperate it shocks even him. “It’s not okay. You can’t anymore, Oliver. No more hacking or digging. No more. It’s not-”

Connor stops when Oliver pulls him in. Pressing his face into Oliver’s chest and wrapping his arms around Oliver, Connor lets Oliver rock them both. Connor lets Oliver soothe him but Connor still can’t get the image out of his head.

They’ll come for Oliver just like Levi. It will be all blue and white lights and handcuffs and squad cars. Some beat cop yanking Oliver’s arms behind his back and shoving him into a car. Oliver going in for processing. Oliver locked away where Connor can’t find him. Can’t see him. Can’t protect him.

“You can’t, Ollie,” Connor whispers into Oliver’s chest. “Not you too. I can’t-not you.”

“It’s gonna be okay,” Oliver whispers. He kisses Connor’s hair and prays that’s not a lie.

Connor’s not sure how long they rock - could be a minute or hours on end - but eventually he loosens his death grip around Oliver’s chest. He tries for a weak smile that’s meant to reassure but, judging by Oliver’s reaction, it doesn’t land well. Connor wipes a hand over his face, smearing away the leftover tears.

“So, are you sure no one can trace what you’ve done?” Connor asks. He knows Oliver’s good and everything but, tonight, he needs the reassurance.

Oliver nods. “I’m sure.”

“Can you double check?”

Oliver smiles faintly at that. “Connor.”

“Please.” Connor doesn’t rise to the bait. This isn’t a joke for him. “Can you check?”

“Okay.” Oliver’s somber in his response. “I will.”

“Good.” Connor rests his forehead against Oliver’s and breathes out heavily as he closes his eyes. “Today was awful.”

Oliver starts to nod but then stops. “I don’t know. Today my boyfriend told me he loved me.” Connor can hear the smile in Oliver’s voice and feels his grin breaking in spite of himself. “So,” Oliver continues, “Today wasn’t all bad for me.”

“Today I told my boyfriend I loved him.” Connor looks up so they can grin at each other. Pretend, for just a moment, that everything is still carefree. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Really?” Oliver’s smile grows even wider. “No wonder your timing sucked.”

“What?” Connor leans back, tone full of forced righteous indignation. “You have issue with my timing?”

“Well, you’d just told me there’s a real possibly you could go to jail and then your best friend came back in so I couldn’t even react.” Oliver cocks his head back against the couch. “So, yeah. I’d say your timing sucked.”

Connor huffs out a laugh. “Well, what do you suggest I do?”

“Just my opinion but I’d suggest you try again.”

“Okay.” Connor sits up tall and pulls his shoulders back. He takes both of Oliver’s hands gently in his and catches Oliver’s eyes with his. For a breath, then two, Connor stares into those eyes he loves so much. “I love you, Oliver Hampton,” he whispers with all due reverence. “I love you.”

Oliver squeezes Connor’s hands lightly in his. “I love you, Connor Walsh.”

Connor wants to say more, wants to make declarations and promises. Vows.

But his tongue feels awkward and heavy in his mouth and he doesn’t trust his voice not to break. So instead, Connor lets his lips speak for him.

 _I will honor you_ he declares with the brush of lips on Oliver’s forehead.

 _I will cherish you_ he promises as he trails gentle lips on Oliver’s closed eyelids.

 _I will protect you_ he vows with the chaste press of his lips against Oliver’s.

“I love you,” Connor whispers again against Oliver’s lips.

“I love you, too,” Oliver returns.

They pull each other in close again and Connor wonders if love is going to be enough this time.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://ramblesandreblogs.tumblr.com/)


End file.
